Shared ideology brings Al Gore's Current TV and Al Jazeera together.

Gore and his partners were eager to complete the deal by Dec. 31, lest it be subject to higher tax rates that took effect on Jan. 1, according to several people who insisted on anonymity because they were not authorized to speak publicly.

Current TV was supposed to be an even more left wing MSNBC for those who thought Rachel Maddow, Chris Matthews and Al Sharpton were right wingers. Current TV functioned as a kind of filter trap for washed up lefties. And now Current TV is washed up.